Freelance photographer Tricia Welch, 29, was brutally stabbed to death yesterday, allegedly by her angry paramour.

MURDERED: Freelance Photographer Tricia Welch

The woman's throat was also slit in the early morning murder at her Lot 2307 Soufriere Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown home.

Her seven-year-old daughter, Jada Welch, said she ventured out of her bedroom at about 05:20 h and saw the bloodied and lifeless body of her mother lying in another bedroom.

The girl hurried upstairs of the two-storey building and alerted neighbours to what had happened before Police were summoned and they removed the corpse.

Reports said a cousin, Candice Narine and a friend, Annette (only name given) had accompanied the victim in a taxi to the Berbice bus park to collect the alleged assailant who arrived in the city from Berbice about 20:30 h on Sunday.

Narine told the Guyana Chronicle that the man entered the motor car and did not reply to the "good night" greeting from Welch but said he was suffering from a toothache and an argument ensued between the latter two.

Narine said, on arrival at Welch's residence, the man asked Annette to get some pain tablets for him from a nearby shop and, when she returned, she saw him lying on a bed sheet spread on the floor and she left the house.

It is believed that Welch, her daughter and the visitor went to sleep but the girl was awakened by her mother's shouts about 03:00 h.

The girl ventured out of her room and saw the suspected killer, knife in hand, standing over her mother on the floor of the living room.

The still traumatised Jada said she pleaded with the knife holder to stop hurting her mother but was ordered back to bed and threatened that she, too, would be hurt if she did not obey.

Terrified, the child obeyed and endured her mother's screaming until the attacker departed in another hire car about 05:15 h.

Police said a suspect has since been arrested and investigations are continuing.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006